Monday, September 6, 2021

No, Your Party Invitation Was NOT Lost In The Mail

Don't be offended that Mrs. HM didn't invite you to her party. You wouldn't really have enjoyed yourself. It's basically a party of one. A pity party. 
 
It's day two of my frayed facial nerves, and no respite is in sight. Last night, the pain was mostly in my lower jaw and neck area where you might have the mumps. Early this morning, that pain had settled in my right ear and back of my neck. And now, as I type this at 1:10 a.m., it has gone back to the upper jaw. It also hurts way up in my nose. Like at the end of my right nostril, too far for a picking finger to reach anything.

The only relief I got was during a shower, when I let the hot water (as hot as I could get after The Pony's shower) run on my face. I almost fell over backwards, with my eyes closed and head tilted back. So my balance is affected.

My pity party started around 2:15 p.m., while The Pony was in his hot-water-stealing shower. That shower was my own fault, because I decreed that he would be riding to town with me. I had to get meat for Farmer H to grill, and with me not feeling well, and Farmer H on his way to the city, I did not want to be stranded if I felt too unwell to drive back home.

Anyhoo... my pity party was not very festive. No games. I only went through one round of lives in Candy Crush. I couldn't concentrate. It wasn't even fun. Then I sat at the kitchen table trying to will myself to stand up. Any change of position sets off a readjustment of the fluid in my sinuses. I took a few minutes for a good cry. The only gift I opened was the bottle of acetaminophen. I have been taking one every four hours. The Pony says you can take no more than six per day, and that the label advises two every six hours. No. I'll take one, every four hours.

I had to lie down after making the baked beans for our BBQ. I left them in the oven, with instructions for The Pony to wake me in 30 minutes. Lying on my left side made most of the pain go away. But the minute I got out of bed, it was back with a vengeance.

I had another good cry on the toilet of the NASCAR bathroom a few minutes ago. Did you know that through tears, while rocking back and forth almost catatonic, the black and white checkered floor tile looks like a kaleidoscope?

Every time I take an acetaminophen, I have high hopes that when it wears off, my pain will have abated. Still waiting...

8 comments:

Rae said...

Try a hot water bottle. It helps me when I have sinus/migraine issues along with headache and neck pain, not to mention the pain around the eyes, nose and sinus area. UGH! I feel bad for you as I can relate and hate when I wake up with the tell tale signs of a similar event. I can't remember if you like spicy food, but I like these sweet spicy chili bowls and the spiciness helps clear my sinuses out. I even add sweet chili sauce to make it even spicier. The sweetness helps reduce the actual heat taste from the spice, if that makes any sense. When my "party" lasts longer than 2 days I want to just curl up into a ball and sleep a deep sleep until it just has the decency to go away. Hope you feel better very soon. Ranee (MN)

Kathy's Klothesline said...

I am so sorry for you misery. I know EXACTLY how you feel, having gone through 4 days of not being able to hear out of my right ear. Periodic pains would stab me like some one was using a drill on my eardrum. Balance was elusive at best. I hope your misery eases soon. I am not sure why mine finally left me. I did use a bulb syringe on my ear and relieved myself of enough ear wax to sculpt. Too much?

Sioux Roslawski said...

Your experience in the NASCAR bathroom sounds like an accid trip.

Not that there's anything wrong with that. (Another Seinfeld reference for you--this time from me.)

Have you tried making a steaming bowl of camomile tea, and tenting your head over it? "Breathe deep... the gathering gloom" of the stinky tea might do you some good. (What is THAT quote from?)

River said...

I would advise a trip to the nearest doctor or emergency room, or instead of just one acetaminophen I would take two and when/if that works, revert to one.
With the pain being in your jaw and neck I'd be really worried about a heart attack, women have different symptoms to men a lot of the time and the jaw, neck, ear thing is common.

River said...

also suggest some strong antihistamine and sleep for a day. Let the men fend for themselves. They won't die without you for a day.

Hillbilly Mom said...

Rae,
I need to get a hot water bottle. We only have a cold pack thingy for ice. The hot shower DOES make it feel better, so that's a good idea. Right now I'm 2/3 better than yesterday. It's trying to make a resurgence, but I'm fighting it with acetaminophen and deep snorts of Vick's through my right nostril, as well as my head vibrator.

***
Kathy,
That's it EXACTLY! The random stabbing pains in my right ear! Although my hearing was fine. The ear pains have gotten better today, but under my jawline, I feel like I have the mumps. I guess I must have an infection in a tooth nerve, maybe. No signs of that or sinus infection. Clear snot and no abcess on my gums. I'm not sticking anything in my ear! Don't want that pain to come back more often.

***
Sioux,
I know the Seinfeld reference from his OUTING, but the other quote baffles me. Is it something highbrow, like Shakespeare? Or maybe something from a comic book? I am not familiar with either genre. No head tent over stinky tea for me.

***
River,
Farmer H says he takes 3 acetaminophen at a time, until he doesn't need them anymore. I'm a bit more cautious. I've had this similar pain on the left side of my head, when I had a tooth infection. So I figure it's the same kind of sinus/tooth combination. A teacher at school thought she hurt her elbow gardening, and it turned out to be a heart attack. So yes, the symptoms are different. I'm still not eager to enter a hospital these days to get checked out.

River 2,
I slept until 12:30 this afternoon, and felt much better when I got up. Farmer H and The Pony warmed up leftovers for themselves. The pain is trying to make a comeback since I stupidly ate 5 grapes after supper. Even though I took three bites apiece with those giant grapes, and chewed slowly on the opposite side from my pain. It's still better than before. The rest of the grapes sit in their bowl, mocking me, but I'm not doing any chewing until lunch tomorrow!

Sioux Roslawski said...

Oh, you might not have been a fan of the Moody Blues. "Nights in White Satin" began with a spoken bit. Spoken. Not Sung.

Hillbilly Mom said...

Sioux,
I HAVE heard that part, but like George's shower at the gym, it didn't take. Hope you don't think I'm some kind of shifty criminal because of it, like George's boss.